CORE MECHANICSLevel 1

David MullichGame MechanicsThe Los Angeles Film School

Class Topics1. Core Mechanics2. Progression Mechanics3. Tactical Mechanics4. Resource Management Mechanics5. Social Mechanics6. Information and Game Mechanics7. Randomness and Game Mechanics8. Narrative and Game Mechanics9. Balancing Game Mechanics10. Replayability and Game Mechanics

Who Am I? David Mullich

dmullich@lafilm.edu@David_Mullichwww.electricsheep.biz

Instructor at LAFS Game Designer at Electric Sheep Game

Consulting Co-creator of Boy Scouts of America

Game Design Merit Badge

HOW THIS CLASS WORKS

Class Grading 20%: 10 Labs 30%: 10 Assignments 30%: 3 Tests 10%: Professionalism 10%: Attendance*

2% Extra Credit for playtesting Game Fair games

* 35%+ absences is an automatic fail.

Be Your Own Career Entrepreneur

Devotion Persistence Reinvention

3 Keys To Success

Remember, This Is A College Class

Studying game development at college is still college study.

Take Notes

Having one of these is a minimum requirement.

At all times.

Study

Review the online Lecture Notes

Think Understand Reflect and Connect

Tests Study for your tests! Refer to the slides. If you see on a slide, it will probably

be on the test. If you don’t know the answer to a test

question, guess! There are no points deducted for wrong

answers on multiple-choice questions I will award some points for clever or

knowledgeable answers on short-answer questions, even if they weren’t the answer I was looking for.

Labs

Game development is a team sport. Each of your labs is a group assignment in which everyone must participate.

Assignments

Do your homework assignments on the LMS (Learning Management System).

Word CountsWord counts are there for a reason.

Use them wisely and avoid: Padding Going off topic Repeating yourself Padding by stating the obvious in a way that takes

quite a lot of words but really isn’t saying anything new

Repeating yourself but in a different way Padding, wadding, lining, extemporising, extraneous

content or going on any other kind of Synonym Safari TM

Creativity Within ConstraintsIf you can’t be bothered to: be creative strive for originality even within

established norms or constraints look beyond your initial idea actually enjoy and actively want to do

the above

Then get used to the phrase “Would you like fries with that?”

Deliver Work On Time

Develop a habit of delivering work on time.

In the game industry, when work is late, people don’t get paid.

Pssst....Sometimes developers make false internal deadlines to avoid calamity such as missed milestone payments. Maybe you could do the same if graduation is at stake?

School Is Your Job

Yes, these are important: Part-time work Family Friends Fun

But don’t neglect your school work!

PROFESSIONALISM

All Business is Communication

Good Communication

Precise Clear Brief

Written CommunicationInformal Communication

Its cool to werk in gamez.u get too do anything u want & stuff

Formal Communication

It’s cool to work in games. You get to do anything you want and stuff.

Written Communication Capitalize the beginning of sentences,

names, game titles, and the word “I” Use proper spelling and punctuation Put a space between punctuation mark

ending a sentence and the start of the next sentence

Don’t use “u” for “you”, or “&” for “and” Don’t confuse “its” and “it’s”

Attention to detial

It matters.

First Rule of Success: Show Up

DON’T BE TARDYBut if you know you will be late, EMAIL ME!

DON’T BE ABSENTBut if you know you will be gone, EMAIL ME!

“All I want to do is just pass this class”

Classes are not kidney stones.

If you think about them in these terms, maybe you’re on the wrong career path?

Impressions

Your colleagues and faculty will most likely be your doorway into the industry.

How do you want them to think of you?

ZERO HERO

The Golden Rule

GAME MECHANICS

What Is A Game Mechanic?

Game Mechanic

Action: What players actually do in the game

Purpose: The reason why players are doing it

The Core Mechanic(s)

The action(s) that the player uses most frequently to progress in the game.

Examples of Core Mechanics

Game Core Action Core PurposeChess Position pieces to capture opponent’s piecesCandy Crush Match 3 pieces to destroy themTetris Rotate pieces to create linesSuper Smash Bros Attack to knock opponent backDoom Run and shoot to kill enemiesWorld of Warcraft Kill to earn experience

Write down an activity of any kind – related to work, school, fun, chores, anything.

Come up with a verb, based on this activity, that you think would make a good basis for a game.

Identify:Core ActionCore Purpose

The Core Loop

The Skinner Box

Extra Credits: How Games Condition Us To Play More

What Was The Main Message Of This Video?

Where Mechanics Fit In

MECHANICS AND GAME STRUCTURE

Mechanics and Structure ElementsMechanics: Allowed by Procedures Follow Rules Consume or Produce Resources Impeded by Challenge Occur within Boundaries

Procedures Starting Action Progression of Action Special Actions Resolving Actions

Rules Affect Procedures

Rules Limit Actions

Resources “Fuel” And Are Produced By Actions

Conflict Impedes Actions

Boundaries Restrict Actions

GAME OBJECTS

Focus Loci

The game elements through which the player’s actions are taken.

Types of Focus Loci In-World: Avatars, Units, Characters Beyond World: God’s Finger Physical Components: Cards, Dice

Why Designers Use Focus Loci Cognitive Immersion Spatial Immersion Sensory-Motor Immersion Area Control

Focus Loci Design Considerations Location Number Actions

Avatars

A game element through which the player carries out actions and affects the Game World.

Why Designers Use Avatars Emotional Immersion Spatial Immersion First/Third Person Views Ownership

Avatar Design Considerations Actions/Attributes Camera Perspective Multiplayer Personality Persistence

Additional Avatar Balancing

Less Difficult Lives Ability Improvement Privileged Abilities Tools

Inaccessible Areas

Parts of the game world that the player can perceive but cannot currently enter.

Why Designers Use Inaccessible Areas Enlarge Game World Easter Eggs Smooth Learning Curves Movement Limitations Protection

Inaccessible Area Design Considerations How Blocked What Has Access When Is It Accessible Affecting Actions

Additional Inaccessible Area BalancingLess Difficult Player Privileged Movement Safe Havens

More Difficult Deadly Traps

Obstacles

Game elements that hinder players from taking the shortest route in the game.

Why Designers Use Obstacles Non-Deadly Movement Limitations Game World Navigation Paths Leaps of Faith Decisions Narrative Structure Hindering Aim & Shoot Actions Balancing Traverse or Exploration Goals

Obstacle Design Considerations Paths Blocked Size Inaccessible Area Boundary How Bypassed Other Penalties

Additional Obstacle Balancing

Less Difficult Player Privileged Movement Player Privileged Abilities

Deadly Traps

Game events that kill avatars and units if they are within the trap’s area of effect.

Trap Detection Trap is visible and effects are clear Trap and effects can be detected by

examination Trap and effects can’t be detected before

activation

Why Designers Use Deadly Traps Deadly Movement Limitations Narrative Structure Inaccessible Area Limitations Rhythm-Based Actions and Maneuvering Memorization Surprises Supports Rescue and Survive Goals (without

opponents) Balances Evade, Exploration, Reconnaissance Goals

Deadly Trap Design Considerations Effects Time Delay Detection

Additional Deadly Trap BalancingLess Difficult Outstanding Features Consumes Resources

Lives

The number of chances a player has in a play session before it is terminated.

Why Designers Use Lives Balance Game Elements:

TensionThreatCombatSession Length

Balance Game Goals:SurvivalLast Man StandingKing of the Hill (with elimination)

Life Design Considerations Causes Consequences Number of Lives Replenishment

Additional Life Balancing

Less Difficult Damage Life Pick-Ups

More Difficult Enemies Deadly Traps

GAME ACTIONS

Movement

The action of moving game elements within the game boundaries.

Why Designers Use Movement Game World Navigation Progress Indicator Dexterity-Based Actions Puzzle Solving (in turn-based games) Spatial Immersion (in real-time games) Supports Race, Capture, Stealth, Herd,

Delivery, Traverse, Collection goals

Movement Design Considerations What Can Move? How Does It Move? Enhancements Limitations

Additional Movement BalancingLess Difficult Pick-Ups Power-Ups

More Difficult Movement Complexity Freedom of Movement Movement Limitations Obstacles and Deadly Traps Inaccessible Areas

Maneuvering

Controlling the movement of game objects in real-time games.

Why Designers Use Maneuvering Game World Navigation Dexterity-Based Actions Puzzle Solving Spatial Immersion Balancing Aim & Shoot Actions Supports Evade and Collection Goals

Maneuvering Design Considerations Obstacles / Pick-Ups Speed Number

Additional Maneuvering Balancing

Less Difficult Power-Ups

More Difficult Movement Complexity Freedom of Movement Movement Limitations Deadly Traps Inaccessible Areas

What Is The Different Between Moving And Maneuvering?

ACTIONS CONTROL

Privileged Abilities

Abilities that let players perform actions not readily available to all other players.

Timing of Privileged Actions Beginning of Game or Turn During Game or Turn During Particular Time Intervals With Power-Ups and Other Game

Elements

Why Designers Use Privileged Abilities Empowerment Planning Character Development Team Development and Social Status Balances Movement, Combat, and

Construction Investments in Competence Areas Supports Gain Competence Goals

Privileged Ability Design Considerations What Action When Usable Which Focus Loci What Players Team Play Impact

Additional Privileged Ability BalancingMore Difficult Time Limits Budgeted Action Points

Budgeted Action Points

Resource used to determine what and how many actions can be performed during a player’s turn.

Why Designers Use Budgeted Action Points Balance Movement Balance Privileged Abilities

Budgeted Action Points Design Considerations Actions How Budgeted

Experimentation

Performing actions to learn how the rules of cause and effect work in a game.

Why Designers Use Experimentation Smooth Learning Curves Cognitive Immersion and Strategic

Planning Provides Strategic Knowledge Balances Difficulty Supports Gain Information Goals Promotes Game Mastery

Experimentation Design Considerations Actions or Game State? Risk/Reward Consequences Safe Havens

Additional Experimentation BalancingLess Difficulty Dedicated Game Facilitators

More Difficult Quick Games

Irreversible Actions

Actions whose effect on the game state cannot be undone.

Why Designers Use Irreversible Actions Restrict Experimentation Closure Surprises Alarms Balances Puzzle Solving, Transfer of

Control, and Levels

Irreversible Actions Design Considerations Actions

Additional Irreversible Action BalancingMore/Less Difficulty Interruptible Delayed Effect

Downtime

Player cannot directly affect the outcome of a game for a period of time.

Causes of DowntimeDesigned Waiting or Skipping Turns Temporary Ability Losses

Technical Loading/Saving Cut Scenes Ultra-Powerful Event

Player Initiated Cognitive Immersion Analysis Paralysis

Why Designers Use Downtime Penalty Tension Anticipation

Downtime Design Considerations Causes Length

Additional Downtime BalancingReducing Analysis Paralysis Level of Difficulty and Complexity Limited Planning Ability Limited Resources and Actions

Turning Downtime Into Uptime Negotiation

Moving It Along Dedicated Game Facilitators Game Masters

GOALS

Survive

Trying to avoid being killed by the actions of other players and events in the game.

Why Designers Use Survive Goals Promotes Tension Supports Race, Last Man Standing Goals Prevents Elimination Goals

Survive Goal Considerations Surviving Elements Danger Avoidance Consequences of Death Lives

Additional Survival Goal BalancingLess Difficult Players can conceal themselves

More Difficult Enemies have Elimination goal

Traverse

The goal to try to move a game element from one position in the game to another.

Why Designers Use Traverse Goals Clear Goal and Progress Indicator Supports Race, Delivery and Herd Goals Balances Aim & Shoot and Stealth

Traverse Goal Considerations Which Element Game Space Paths How Does It Move? Known Goal Point Location?

Additional Traverse Goal BalancingLess Difficult Player has privileged movement Strategic Location Path Clues Safe havens

More Difficult Indirect control over moving element Enemies to evade Elements to herd

Choose one of the following games to play:

Candyland (2-4p, 15-30m) Checkers (2p, 15-30m) En Garde (2p, 20-30m)

*Forbidden Desert (2-5p, 45m) Hey, That’s My Fish! (2-4p, 20m) Space Alert (1-5p, 30m)

Group Quest

Design an analog game prototype based on mechanics supporting one of the following goals: Survive Traverse

Research and use the LMS to report on games using action controls discussed in class.